STDs and HIV alert for LGBT

Homosexuality is always a topic that is sealed tightly in a lost container!

Beyond the fear of opening up and the pressure from across different viewpoints, LBGT are one of the high risk groups to develop a myriad of health problems, from physical to social.

Gay men are prone to high risk of sexually transmitted diseases and infections.

In the past decade, the rate of HIV infected gay men is increased by 20 percent.

Lack of medical advice

It is a fact that homosexuality community doesn’t have enough exposure to proper medical advice. Few NGOs work to help but I don’t if the reach is good enough. I shouldn’t have mentioned it as LGBT community; rather the novices who are just exposed opening up in the group.

Homosexuality is seen as an evil in the society even to talk to a doctor. Homosexuals remain too quiet and try everything under the sky to hide their identities. The bitter truth is, there are many out there, tagged as ‘happily married couples’ – who concealed their identity, never able to show them, get married, have child and live their entire life (they got only one life) purely as a lie!

For many years, homosexuality was treated as a disease with various hormonal, psychological and social factors during sexual development implicated to cause it. Hence the attempts to “cure” it by hormones and psychiatrists went vain.

Main concerns for LGBT

When you don’t practice safer sex, especially in case of casual sex (be it a lesbian or gay) with a stranger, you pose high risk of sexually transmitted diseases.

Here is the list of diseases that pose of high risk of catching one during a casual sex:

HIV infection

Hepatitis C

Herpes

Chlamydia (women are prone more and easily curable with an antibiotic)

Genital Warts

Gonorrhea – similar to Chlamydia

While most STDs are treatable, HIV infection is among the more severe one. Awake and be aware!

Symptoms of HIV

You may not show up any signs or symptoms of HIV infection. Most people may not develop any symptoms even for years. Symptoms of HIV infection varies a lot.

Within a month or two, some people develop the flu and flu like symptoms.

Fever and cold

Severe throat infection

Varying degrees of headaches ranging from moderate to severe

Body rashes

Swelling of lymph nodes

Chronic fatigue, feeling exhausted

Aching joints and muscles, moderate to severe body pain

Night sweats, improper and irregular sleep

Mouth ulcer

Ulcer, rashes and blisters on genitals (regardless of the fact you are very hygienic)

The intensity of these symptoms may vary and usually last for more than two weeks. If you have more than one of these symptoms at high intensity level (severe), don’t delay. Fix an appointment with doctor and get tested for HIV infection immediately.

How do you know you are severely infected?

You can lead a healthy life even for about 10 to 15 years surviving the HIV. Yet, without your knowledge, you have compromised the immune system. Your body is prone to a lot of illness due to low immunity. You are prone a lot of infections and diseases too often, which includes cold, fever, flu, bacterial and fungal infections. When you lose weight rapidly for no reason, neurological problems and constantly feel sick along with above mentioned symptoms, HIV compromised the immunity and you developed AIDS.

Get tested for HIV infection and take action

If you notice any of the symptoms given here, ask your doctor and get the HIV / AIDS test. Don’t be lethargic that cold, cough and headaches come and go too often. AIDS testing is too simple. All you need is to provide blood sample. You can literally get the results in 30 to 45 minutes.

Getting a prompt diagnosis is very essential to get yourself for AIDS testing. While there is no cure for HIV, you can manage the infection and significantly improve your health and life expectancy.

From inputs by Dr. A S Reddy of CupidCare, Name of the client is changed to maintain privacy